La Distance
by runwitskizzers
Summary: “I don’t need you.” He all but spat the words at her, hoping she’d see how they could carve up her insides if he’d just made them a little sharper. This is what he was. SasuSaku.


_Le mystère de tes yeux là _

_Ce petit mystère il tient à quoi ? _

_Se pauvre mystère en sale état _

_N'a rien à faire entre tes bras. _

White on white on white on white on _white_, around and around. The bandages wound around his middle so tight he couldn't breathe. Or so he'd continue to believe. It was the bandages that were too tight and not his throat.

It wasn't that he'd seen a teammate fall; it wasn't that someone had died, and it definitely wasn't because he hadn't been able to stop it.

"Ah – Sasuke?" His fingers twitched at the noise. Of course she'd come.

"Aa." The texture of his voice spoke far more than his words did. He hadn't spoken in months.

"Are you …" She stalled, obviously unsure of how to continue. He had yet to look at her. "Are you alright?" He was fantastic. Other than the hole that punched straight through his guts through to the other side. He wished he hated her enough to voice this thought out loud.

He was always so weak.

"Fine." Still, that gravel fell from his throat. She sat next to his bed and reached for his hand. He moved it along with hers in a dance of _stay away stay away stay away_.

He felt the heavy breath move past her lips and hit his cheek in a gross mockery of what her hand should have done.

"Sasuke… despite what you may think of our friendship or – " she broke off, shook her head, and continued, "or whatever … you _can_ talk to me." And rely on someone else to give him strength, to give him – his lips twisted into a something that was not quite a sneer – comfort? She sighed again. "I won't pretend to know what you're thinking, I spent too many years contemplating that to have any hope to ever understand you… but, you won't be anything less for seeking out some –" He needed to put an end to this.

"I don't need you." He all but spat the words at her, hoping she'd see how they could carve up her insides if he'd just made them a little sharper. This is what he was. "You have nothing for me."

And he had even less for her.

……

The liquor fought its way down his throat, and shot enzymes and chemicals into his blood to slow his thinking. He'd come here hoping to block out the memory of her hospital visit. Instead, with each drink, her voice just rang louder in his ears. One in particular, a word she hadn't even said, but still managed to jump into the forefront of his thoughts.

Melancholy had a terrible way of breaking across his bones and forcing him to pay attention at the worst of times.

…….

He saw her sitting at her desk, hunched over some scroll or the other. Busy. No matter, this was important. He lifted a finger to the glass.

_Tap – tap – tap._

She paused at her work and glanced at her window.

­_Tap – tap – tap – tap. _

Her eyes grew wide and she jumped up to lift the latch.

"Sasuke??"

It almost comical how he stumbled into her room from the ledge. He was _shinobi_, regardless of the poison burning in his blood.

She grabbed an arm and threw it over her shoulders, helping him to the bed. Once he was safely seated, she stood and tried to see into his eyes.

"Sasuke are you … drunk?"

"Aa." She was blurred around the edges, but still beautiful. She reached out for him again and he swatted her hand away.

"Sasuke, let me – "

"I'm useless, and angry, and stunted, and weak, and I can't _do_ anything for you, Sakura." The words had bubbled up and exploded out his mouth before he could stop them. Her only response was to crack a wry grin in response to his verbosity.

"I can make up for all those things," She opened up her arms, "What do you think these are for, idiot?" There was too much here for him, far too much. He walked to the open window and looked out in an effort _not_ to see her.

"You think that,"

"I know that." She had come between him and the window now and was still taking steps backwards. "You're there more than you think," She leaned backwards past the pane and into the night, "I know you'll always save me." She was falling now, her skin prickling where it hit the cold air. He was there instantly and grabbed her wrists, pulling her back inside and closer to him than she'd ever been before.

"Sakura! What the hell is wrong –"

"I told you you'd save me, Sasuke-kun." He sighed and rested his forehead against hers. "You need to hear –" His lips touched hers and began.

….

"Love me less, Sakura, but love me a long time."

_Etre un corps je suis d'accord  
Je cherchais seulement des bras  
Mon lit ok encore  
des delices sous les draps  
Mais je crains que pour tout ca  
Tu doives entendre..._

_Aime-moi moins, mais aime-moi longtemps_

A/N: First things first.

**HAPPY** belated** BIRTHDAY, ALY!!**

So. To begin. I'm going to marry Louis Garrel. I know, I know, I always say I'm going to marry someone. But ferrealzies. We're totes going to get married. And have little Indo-Franco bebés.

That being said… this is loosely (mostly) based on 'J'ai Cru Entendre' from Les Chansons D'Amour which I've been _obsessing_ over recently. … I really, really, really, really love it.

… I know, I know, it seems like I've all but abandoned And So They Were… but I haven't! I swear! … There's a pseudo finished chapter 5 sitting on my hardrive but I'm just so stuck I can't finish it.

(wallows in self pity)

Any how, this lacks my trademark humor, so I'm being very sasuke-ish and angsting over how it's going to fare … so pleeeeease review? Tell me what you thought, whether I should give up on writing anything that isn't raburabu!humor hahaha.

Sainkyuu!

OMGBAI

('o')/


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